Device for interlinking the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal-combustion-engine valves

ABSTRACT

Device for interlinking the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal-combustion-engine valves comprising a tension spring or resilient element, the mutually opposite ends of which are respectively attached to the said spring-caps. In one embodiment the opposite ends of said spring are attached respectively to the couplings that interconnect flexible pipes that deliver cooling fluid to the spring caps of said valves.

United States Patent 1191 Kuhn 1 Dec. 18, 1973 15 1 DEVICE FOR INTERLINKING THE UPPER 865,213 9/1907 Schaeffers 123/9065 x SPRING CAPS OF TWO MUTUALLY 1,974,802 9/1934 Chilton 123/9067 X 1,824,734 9 1931 R005 123/9066 x ADJACENT 3,352,292 11/1967 Kuhn 123/4141 INTERNAL-COMBUSTION-ENGINE VALVES [76] Inventor: Karl Walter Kuhn, 5, rue des Arcades, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France [22] Filed: Mar. 3, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 231,610

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 10, 1971 France 7108330 [52] US. Cl 123/4141, 123/905, 123/9067, 123/188 VA, 123/188 SA, 137/330, 251/337 [51] Int. Cl. F01p 3/14, F011 1/46, F011 31/00 [58] Field of Search 123/41.41, 90.65, 123/9066, 90.67, 90.5, 188 SA, 188 SB, 188 SC, 188 VA; 137/330; 251/337 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,668,945 7/1973 Hofmann 123/905 X Primary ExaminerAl Lawrence Smith Assislan! Examiner-W. H. Rutledge, Jr. Attorney-Francis T. Carr et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT Device for interlinking the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal-combustion-engine valves comprising a tension spring or resilient element, the

mutually opposite ends of which are respectively attached to the said spring-caps.

in one embodiment the opposite ends of said spring are attached respectively to the couplings that interconnect flexible pipes that deliver cooling fluid to the spring caps of said valves.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures DEVICE FOR INTERLINKING THE UPPER SPRING-CAPS OF TWO MUTUALLY ADJACENT INTERNALCOMBUSTION-ENGINE VALVES The present invention relates to and has essentially for its object a device for interlinking the upper springcaps of two mutually adjacent internal-combustionengine valves. More particularly, the invention relates to an interlinking device limiting the mutual rotation of the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent valves.

It is known that, especially during the lifting of a valve, the helical valve-springs have a tendency to rotate the spring-caps and, therefore, the valves. Where the exhaust valves are of the type cooled by a circulating liquid flowing through and then from the valves through flexible pipes connected with the spring-caps, the successive rotations of the spring-caps involve a risk of rapid deterioration of the flexible pipes through which the cooling liquid circulates and which may become intermingled with one another.

It is already known to use devices adapted to interlink the upper spring caps of two mutually adjacent valves in order to prevent their rotation. For instance, in a French Pat. No. 2,011,371 in the name of Sulzer, a device is disclosed which prevents the rotation of the valve spring-caps with respect to the machine crankcase. This device is composed of arms fitted in one another. More specifically, the interlinking device consists of a projection provided on one spring-cap and fitted in a corresponding fork provided on the other springcap.

However, complete prevention of the rotary motion of the valve spring-caps is not desirable, for the rotary motion of the valve is known to produce a slight frictional motion of the valve bearing-face on the valve seat, a motion that enables the latter to be freed from carbon-deposit particles or other undesirable deposits or formations which, by impairing imperviousness, flnally lead to valve burning.

The interlinking device according to the invention is so designed as to limit the mutual rotation of the valve spring-caps without however completely preventing it.

pear as the following description proceeds, with reference to the appended drawings given solely by way of example illustrating one form of embodiment of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectional view of the device for interlinking the springcaps of two mutually adjacent, cooled valves, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of two cooled exhaust valves interlinked by the device according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view upon the line III-III of FIG. IV, showing how one end of the interlinking spring is fastened to the coupling interconnecting a pipe and a valve spring-cap;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view upon the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the appended drawings and more more particularly to FIG. 1, the interlinking device according to the invention is shown to be used in connection with two exhaust valves, each of which comprises a spring-cap l surmounting a valve-spring support collar or shoulder 2 and surrounding a valve pivotbearing 4 adapted to be pushed by a pivot ball secured at the end of a rocker (not shown). The valves shown in the drawings are of a known type comprising a stem 5 and a mushroom head 6. The exhaust valves considered are cooled by a circulating liquid conveyed into each valve by a flexible pipe 3 and discharged from each valve by a flexible discharge pipe 7. Each spring-cap l is provided with an inlet duct 8 and an outlet duct 9, the openings of which are connected through the medium of connecting nipples l2 and 13 to the said flexible pipes 3 and 7 respectively. The couplings between the pipes 3, 7 and the spring-caps l comprise respectively To this end, the interlinking device according to the invention is characterizedin that it comprises a tension spring or resilient element, the mutually opposite ends of which are respectively fastened to the spring-caps of two mutually adjacent valves.

It is readily understood that the spring or resilient element according to the invention produces a return torque which is exerted at the points where the ends of the spring are fastened to the spring-caps. Mutual rotation of the spring-caps is not completely prevented, but the amplitude of the rotary motion imparted to the spring-caps by the helical springs is considerably reduced by the action of the said return torque, thus avoiding any risk of deterioration of the flexible pipes.

According to another feature of the invention, when applied to exhaust valves cooled by a circulating liquid flowing to and then from the valves through flexible pipes coupled to the spring-caps, the ends of the said springs are fastened respectively to the couplings interconnecting the said pipes and the said spring-caps.

According to still another feature of the invention, the ends of the spring are retained respectively in grooves provided in the nipples by which the said pipe couplings are fastened to the said spring-caps.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics and advantages thereof will apa threaded fastening sleeve 10, 11, a connecting nipple 12, 13, a seal ring 14, 15 and an annular seal 16 (FIG. 3).

The interlinking device proper, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is composed essentially of a tension spring 20 the mutually opposite 19 of which are secured for instance to the nipples by means of which the couplings of the pipes 3 and 7 are fastened to the spring-caps 1. The way in which the mutually opposite ends 19 of the tension spring 20 are secured to the couplings between the flexible pipes and the spring-caps 1 appears more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4 where the connecting nipples 12 and 13 are shown to be provided ith a peripheral annular groove 17 in which are engaged the respective curved ends 19 of the tension spring 20.

It is readily understood that owing to the interlinking of two cooled valves by means of the device of the invention the successive rotary motions imparted to the spring-caps l by the respective helical valve-springs are opposed by a return torque exerted by the tension springs 20 in the regions corresponding to the ends 19 located in the grooves 17.

Consequently, the resultant of all the forces applied in the regions where the pipes 3 and 7 are coupled to the spring-caps l is small in amplitude without however being completely prevented.

The device of the invention enables the stresses ex-' erted on the flexible pipes and the couplings during the successive rotations of the valve spring-caps 1 to be considerably reduced without however completely preventing the rotary motion of the whole assembly and in particular the head 6, thus, on the one hand, avoiding any damage to the flexible pipes and the couplings and,

on the other hand, undesirable deposits of particles on the valve seat.

Each curved end 19 of the tension spring 20 is advantageously coated with a protecting sheath 21, for instance a tube of synthetic material such as Teflon, in order to prevent wear.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described and illustrated, which has been given by way of example only. In particular, it comprises all the means constituting technical equivalents to the means described as well as their combinations, should the latter be carried out according to the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Device for interlinking the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal combustion engine valves, which valves are cooled by a circulating liquid flowing to and then from the said valves through flexible pipes connected with the said spring-caps, said device comprising a tension spring or resilient element, the mutually opposite ends of which are attached respectively to couplings interconnecting the said pipes with the said spring-caps.

2. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the said spring ends are retained respectively in a groove provided in respective fastening nipples of the said couplings interconnecting the said pipes with the means having mutually opposite ends respectively attached to portions of said caps that rotate with said caps.

5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that said portions to which said ends are attached are couplings on said caps that serve to join pipes to said caps for circulating a cooling fluid in said valves.

6. Device according to claim 5 characterized in that said couplings include pipe fastening nipples, said nipples having groovesin which respective of said ends are engaged.

7. Device according to claim 6 wherein said ends have wear-preventing protective sheaths in the region of engagement with said grooves.

@253 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION December 18, 1973 Patent No. 37792l7 Dated Inven Karl Walter Kuh It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I In column 1 of the above-identified patent, item 76 should read; ---Karl Walter Kuhn, 5 rue deaArcades, Saint Germain-en-Laye, France, assignor to soclete D'Etudes De Machines Thermiclues, Saint-Denis France a company of France Column 2, line 17, "ith" should read --with--- Claim 2, line 1 (column 3) "10" should read l" o Signed and sealed this 25th day of une 197M.

(SEAL) Attest:

C. MARSHALL DANN Commissioner of Patents EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. Attesting Officer 

1. Device for interlinking the upper spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal combustion engine valves, which valves are cooled by a circulating liquid flowing to and then from the said valves through flexible pipes connected with the said springcaps, said device comprising a tension spring or resilient element, the mutually opposite ends of which are attached respectively to couplings interconnecting the said pipes with the said spring-caps.
 2. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the said spring ends are retained respectively in a groove provided in respective fastening nipples of the said couplings interconnecting the said pipes with the said spring-caps.
 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each end of each tension spring is curved and coated with a protecting sheath such as a Teflon tube.
 4. Device for interlinking the valve biasing spring-caps of two mutually adjacent internal combustion engine valves, which valves during lifting thereof have a tendency to be rotated through their valve biasing spring-caps, said device serving to reduce such rotation of said caps without preventing it and comprising connecting spring means interconnecting said caps, said means having mutually opposite ends respectively attached to portions of said caps that rotate with said caps.
 5. Device according to claim 4 characterized in that said portions to which said ends are attached are couplings on said caps that serve to join pipes to said caps for circulating a cooling fluid in said valves.
 6. Device according to claim 5 characterized in that said couplings include pipe fastening nipples, said nipples having grooves in which respective of said ends are engaged.
 7. Device according to claim 6 wherein said ends have wear-preventing protective sheaths in the region of engagement with said grooves. 